TTQ B4U

What's that mean exactly? Does it crack or flake off when fixed? This car had some dings on the roof. Looked to be from hail. A nice size likely not-hail on the hood. Just curious.

It's just plain oxidation caused from lack of care and keeping it sealed up. UV light damage happens quick, especially to single stage paints. The best thing to do is keep a good coating of protection on and use a good quality detail spray after each wash. I like the newer Wipe on Walk away products for between polishings too. There are lots of good detail sprays and Wipe on Walk Away sealants on the market. Wolfgang Deep Gloss Liquid Seal is the one I recommend. Will do wonders at keeping the paint from fading. One last pic and bit of information on this car. The Wheels are just plastic covers but I cleaned them up and sealed them with Sonax Wheel and Rim Shield. It does wonders for resisting brake dust and dirt and when washing it will make it 200% easier to blast it off. I'm not a huge fan of Endurance as it's too glossy for me but it does hold up well to the rain we're getting and knowing it was going to see rain on the way home or even the day after, it was a good selection and will easily last for a couple weeks. http://i1379.photobucket.com/albums/ah133/PDQS4/OLD%20Gallary%20of%20Images/2007%20Toyota%20Matrix/20170121_175535%20wheel%20web_zpskcelpyfa.jpg If Adam wants to really put a finishing touch on them for under $20 He could plastidip them, add some plastidip gloss over top and paint the brake dust shields flat black. Save Save

A fellow CR Member contacted me about his wife's 2007 Matrix in efforts to remove several years of neglect, most of which were due in part to the previous owner as the vehicle is "newer" to them. It has 95k+ miles on it but overall in decent shape. The good news is that Toyota's white much like Honda's tends to be single stage paint, thus no clear coat to fail. Instead what happens is the oils in the paint evaporate out and the paint oxidizes from the outside in thus producing a chalky residue, much like old aluminum siding. The other fix that was needed to was to restore the headlights which had moderately bad UV failure and crazing. The upside is they were still fixable, but the downside is they were neglected long enough for the damage to cause a slightly clouding inside and stress cracks to appear. The cure here involved a three step process. Compound, polish and then seal. Being single stage paint isn't compatible with most ceramic coatings, I sealed this one up with some of the best out there. The headlights were sanded, polished and sealed with two coats of UV sealant specially designed for headlamps. The compounding was done with foam pads and Meg's 101 Compound. Polishing and the first layer of sealant was done with HDSpeed which contains HDPoxy a synthetic sealant. Wanting to insure the paint would be sealed up well beyond what Ohio Winters will throw at it, I also applied a coat of Collinite 476 which is among the most durable and long lasting Hybrid Synthetic Carnauba Waxes available on the market. The weather was warm for January but sprinkles wouldn't leave and kept me from garnering any real good outdoor photos. White is tough enough to capture, let alone when I'm stuck with poor lighting and a cell phone. Here it goes anyway. Before: Notice the hood bare even shows the reflection of the two sets of T5 High output bulbs in the fixtures above. The headlamps look like they are suffering from Jaundice too. http://i1379.photobucket.com/albums/ah133/PDQS4/OLD%20Gallary%20of%20Images/2007%20Toyota%20Matrix/20170121_100521%20web_zpsr7hajphj.jpg You don't get any more chalky and dull than this: http://i1379.photobucket.com/albums/ah133/PDQS4/OLD%20Gallary%20of%20Images/2007%20Toyota%20Matrix/20170121_100407%20web%20before_zpsoqw7ci24.jpg http://i1379.photobucket.com/albums/ah133/PDQS4/OLD%20Gallary%20of%20Images/2007%20Toyota%20Matrix/20170121_122956%20web%20before_zpskxxht0wo.jpg So chalky and oxidized you can almost feel it in the photos http://i1379.photobucket.com/albums/ah133/PDQS4/OLD%20Gallary%20of%20Images/2007%20Toyota%20Matrix/20170121_100438%20web_zpsgnjccnqi.jpg After washing the vehicle completely it's time to chemically decontaminate it. This baby was so dry just about ever spec of ferrous partials to touch it found a home embedded in into paint. http://i1379.photobucket.com/albums/ah133/PDQS4/OLD%20Gallary%20of%20Images/2007%20Toyota%20Matrix/20170121_083700%20web%2022_zpsmwv2jayx.jpg http://i1379.photobucket.com/albums/ah133/PDQS4/OLD%20Gallary%20of%20Images/2007%20Toyota%20Matrix/20170121_083647%20web_zpsm0nkbqpj.jpg I use a mix of compounds to allow for longer working times. The left has is oxidized, the right has seen first crack at removing it. http://i1379.photobucket.com/albums/ah133/PDQS4/OLD%20Gallary%20of%20Images/2007%20Toyota%20Matrix/20170121_122246%20web_zpswqns07cz.jpg Here's a shot of the rear door after basic compounding http://i1379.photobucket.com/albums/ah133/PDQS4/OLD%20Gallary%20of%20Images/2007%20Toyota%20Matrix/20170121_174419%20web_zpsz9gomydh.jpg Once polished though, all is good again http://i1379.photobucket.com/albums/ah133/PDQS4/OLD%20Gallary%20of%20Images/2007%20Toyota%20Matrix/20170121_175644%20web_zpspvd7stk0.jpg The roof finally reflects once again http://i1379.photobucket.com/albums/ah133/PDQS4/OLD%20Gallary%20of%20Images/2007%20Toyota%20Matrix/20170121_175850%20web%20after_zpsf5nge8se.jpg Windshield Cowling Restored from UV Damaged gray to black http://i1379.photobucket.com/albums/ah133/PDQS4/OLD%20Gallary%20of%20Images/2007%20Toyota%20Matrix/20170121_175726%20web_zpsurrhjnrw.jpg B-Pillars back to the satin finish they were originally when new http://i1379.photobucket.com/albums/ah133/PDQS4/OLD%20Gallary%20of%20Images/2007%20Toyota%20Matrix/20170121_175710%20web_zpsajihyaq5.jpg All shined up and the lights are clear again. The slight haze drives me nuts but it's on the inside thus requiring them to removed and opened up to fully fix. http://i1379.photobucket.com/albums/ah133/PDQS4/OLD%20Gallary%20of%20Images/2007%20Toyota%20Matrix/20170121_175554%20web_zpsdgqxioto.jpg http://i1379.photobucket.com/albums/ah133/PDQS4/OLD%20Gallary%20of%20Images/2007%20Toyota%20Matrix/20170121_122300%20web%20after_zpsvbuqwrhg.jpg Ready for pick up by customer http://i1379.photobucket.com/albums/ah133/PDQS4/OLD%20Gallary%20of%20Images/2007%20Toyota%20Matrix/20170121_175743%20web_zpszlaajr1c.jpg Overall I was pleased with the correction and the outcome and if his texts can be quoted, the word Amazing popped up a few times. I do appreciate Adam trusting in my work and hope that he will come to provide some input here on the board. Save Save Save

That Lotus ends any razzing tossed your way. Save

Good luck with sale. Nice stuff. Anyone interested in the Gear S, chargers are available on Amazon from $8-15. They don't have reserve battery power like the factory one but they are built well if not better than the factory ones.

^^ This. THey check a lot of boxes. In about a week you're going to see a black one that is cleaned up so nicely that it will blind you. :ninja: Metallic Black IIRC too.

Came here thinking it was a Tinder Gone Wild type thread.

What car? Repainted at all or stock paint? Not sure of what your goal is to correct the entire car or just a spot? Best results will be with a buffer. You could do it by hand of course, but it's 100x more difficult and a DA Buffer will yield better results. Feel free to give me a shout. Happy to show you if you have the tools and are looking to try.

I don't but when I do it's a $60 refurbished one that I bought 10yrs back. 1,200psi IIRC. Not sure.

You will be pleased. Black is especially awesome when done right [emoji1] Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N920A using Tapatalk

As noted, could be a long thread because I too use a lot of different ones depending on the make of car, paint, etc. To keep it simple it though the Megs Twins are great and I do use them a lot. M105/M205 or their consumer branded version Ultimate Compound, Ultimate Polish are very good. If you use the Ultimate line up just be aware that you should do an IPA wipedown or use something like Eraser to remove the oils both use as they can mask swirls a bit and will interfere with coating applications. Meg's Ultimate Polish is very good too. Product Wise: I have these in my cabinet and use them regularly. Compounds: Meg's M101 Foam Compound - most aggressive but finishes out great. Combine this with Microfiber and you'll correct even the worst damage in short-order Meg's M105/Ult. Compound - Med to high aggressiveness but finishes great HDCut - great for medium to rough needs and finishes out the best of all. With the right pad there's no need for a polish step. The new formulation replaces HDAdapt which I love. FG400 is a great stand-by product too. Useful on a lot of different cars but I use it mainly on German paints. Polishes: Meg's M205/Ult. Polish - great final polish and finishes very nicely HD Polish finishes out a little better but has a shorter working time Menzerna's 3500/3800 do great on VW/Audi and MBZ for which they were developed. Especially solid on MBZ Ceramiclear Paint codes. They do very well on soft subaru paint too. All in One's: HDSpeed - finishes out fantastic, removes mild to medium swirls and has HDPoxy built in as a sealer. Super easy to remove. CarPro Essence - Excellent as a polish or refining polish and is a great All in One, especially if combined with their Reload Product. I use it as a base-coat for my ceramic coatings. Excellent product. Sealants: Collinite makes several really good ones. #845 is by far the easiest to apply and remove. Key is to put is on super super thin. Last quite a long time. #476 is my go-to for Tough as Nails finishing, especially in winter. Longest lasting most durable they make. #915 is the third one of theirs I like to use. Warmer tone in terms of finishing so it works spectacular on reds and warm colors. All are easy to remove but the key is to apply them thin. Black pad and a buffer is the best way. Otherwise, they can be a bit more difficult to buff off. Meg's Ulitmate Wax is good stuff too. Hybrid synthetic that provides good durability and ease of removal. HDPoxy - Great synthetic sealant. I use it over HDSpeed for added protection. Wolfgang Fuzion - Expensive but by far the best nauba wax out there. Can't go wrong. Show car in your stable - use this. Blackfire Wet Diamond - Great all purpose high gloss wax. Polish Angel is the only other line up that I see rivals this for bang/buck product. Sonex Polymer Net Shield - Aerosol spray on wipe off. Great for ease of use and offers 6mos+ protection. Perfect where ease of use and speed is needed. Ultima Paint Guard Plus - Is by far the best Wipe on Walk Awayproduct. Offers a super slick hard finish with no streaks. I love this as a follow up to freshly done vehicles and works great on the inside of doors and trunks where it will last quite a long time enabling much easier cleaning Finish Kare 1000P is a great alternative to Collinte 476, especially in the summer. It's one of the highest temp resistant products withstanding temps of 250 degree thus a black car in full sun will remain protected. Very resistant to water spotting too. Chem Guys Blacklight/Whitelight - great glazes for their respective dark/light finishes but these also have a good sealant in them. I personally used blacklight and liked it but would recommend two coats. First one with machine is fine, let cure, then the second coat lightly by hand. I'm sure I've blown more money on others but those are what I can remember off the top of my head

Interested. Stay tuned.

Adam has some great insight. Love the fence idea. There's a house not far from me with that type of yard and the fence does set it off. I've I'm out and about I'll snap a pic or look it up on Google streets. I would have the house painted and perhaps just invest in some new windows up front. Maybe even bigger ones and some planter boxes under them, etc. Congrats on the house in general and looking to continue the improvements.

as does the one at Sawmill and Bethel. Does suck about The Anderson's though. I really liked that store. Although I can see the mis-management of it it. They remodeled the store recently to try and compete with places like Kroger Marketplace, Bed Bath & Beyond, etc. but it never really worked. Prices were higher too. Crazy though as it was always packed on weekends. Especially so in the spring for planting season. Sad state of the economy and definitely a testament to how online is impacting stores locally.

Mixed thoughts on this. Like the idea of matt black / charcoal to match the convertible top then accent them with silver to bring in the wheels. Something like this style? Not sure. Like Brian said, I think your color isn't crying for it. Below works well IMO. http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2548/3735475122_43c9af3a29_o.jpg http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2651/3734677237_dcbb2b941e_o.jpg Save

Our Entourage has been an excellent vehicle reliability wise. Fit and finish too. I keep it spotless and cleaned up which is a given but overall still it's like brand new and has held up to wear and tear great. Better than our previous Honda Minivan did for sure. Not a huge fan of the Stinger just yet but I'm sure it will grow on me.

^^ Audi S5 Sportback in the hatchback category too.

^^ haha! Here too. Our son has moved from a single to a double french horn and when he started it was like he was torturing an elephant. Now he's pretty good but dang that horn is loud! Clay, you might even want to look into rent-to-own set ups. We do that with our daughters violin and wife's Chello. They cover all damage and repairs, etc. and the pricing isn't much different than buying outright. Our place includes upgrades in size as well which was nice as my daughter moved up in size and the monies paid now apply to that one. The Violin Loft in Clintonville is where we got ours, and while they don't do drum sets they likely know a good place that does. Music and Arts in Hilliard is where we had my sons French Horn fixed once. IIRC they do drums.

Eagle Eyed Audi: Keeping warm and dry in the garage http://i1379.photobucket.com/albums/ah133/PDQS4/My%202014%20Stage%20II%20Plus%20Audi%20S4/20170114_153123%20web_zpsou8mufdq.jpg

Completed Pics. Ceramic Paint Coating Ceramic Glass Coating Wheels Coated Turned out great. Jeep really has a nice thick clear finish that ends up looking like a mirror. Slight orange peel under it but overall, fantastic and durable. Had to correct a few areas on the hood and doors but overall the paint was fantastic for a new car. No dealer installed swirls or anything. Full 100% correction was achieved. Thanks again to Eric for trusting in me to protect and enhance his brand new vehicle. I'm digging the color as I like the muted tones more and more. Works very well on the Wrangler. Here's a link to all the pics: http://s1379.photobucket.com/user/PDQS4/library/Some%20of%20the%20vehicles%20I%20have%20detailed/2017%20Jeep%20Wrangler?sort=3&page=1 Save

Yep. Not a big deal. May just need a bit of touch up under them and perhaps find a little different style plug. These are super flexible soft and can pop out easily if wiped with a rag. So long as one keeps and eye out and is aware things will be fine. http://i1379.photobucket.com/albums/ah133/PDQS4/OLD%20Gallary%20of%20Images/2017%20Jeep%20Wrangler/20170114_000409_zpsl026ijmp.jpg Save

I just got through cleaning up the Jeep (polish and ceramic in the morning) and can attest to the fact that they get just about every bit of the underside and inside panels. Several plugs show where they gained access to difficult areas. Have no doubt this was about the most thorough coverage I've seen. Lots of over spray to remove so if you plan to get this done do it before your clean up your vehicle. Save Save

So Eric had his 200mi new Jeep in for some undercoating/rust prevention and now is ready to have the overspray of that cleaned off and the entire vehicle ceramic coated. Here are a few sneak peak before images. http://i1379.photobucket.com/albums/ah133/PDQS4/OLD%20Gallary%20of%20Images/2017%20Jeep%20Wrangler/20170113_154020%20web_zps6nbddyjt.jpg http://i1379.photobucket.com/albums/ah133/PDQS4/OLD%20Gallary%20of%20Images/2017%20Jeep%20Wrangler/20170113_154134%20web_zpsqgwkjrxh.jpg http://i1379.photobucket.com/albums/ah133/PDQS4/OLD%20Gallary%20of%20Images/2017%20Jeep%20Wrangler/20170113_154204%20web_zpsddqqo5vx.jpg Save Save

Now the beast is off to get cleaned up and ceramic coated.... :thumbup: I think Adam has had this type of undercoating process done to his FJ. The aroma of oil in my garage is simliar anyway Save

^^ this. Until then it's fake news